Protector
by ImaginaryHomeforFriends
Summary: Audrey is part of a bigger prophecy, and Gabriel is ordered to protect her.  Both are lost and broken, but can they put aside their distrust for each other to help one another?
1. Chapter 1

Audrey walked down the halls of the orphanage, favoring her left leg. The bone, which had been broken in three places, had long since mended but it threatened to give out on her if she put too much pressure on it and the longer she used it, the more noticeable her limp was. It was nearly the end of the day, she just had to check each of the rooms to make sure everyone was asleep and then she could slip on her pajamas and hope that she had a dreamless sleep. Audrey never prayed anymore, only hoped, because she knew the big guy upstairs had no interests in hearing her or any other human. He had made that quite clear when he had sent the fallen and an archangel to kill a defenseless baby.

"Just one story," A younger girl, probably around 6, pleaded with Audrey and she felt her patience break. She was tired, her leg and arm hurt, and she was sick of dealing with children all day. Granted she was nearly 18, would be of legal age in only a month but she was still a kid herself. An orphaned kid who had to take care of other children with no parents.

"No, now go to sleep, it's lights out." Audrey snapped, barely managing to stop herself from swearing. She closed the door and continued walking down the hall, checking the rooms along the way.

Everyone told Audrey how _lucky_ she was. She had been thrown through a windshield of a car doing over 70 and had survived. She had recovered from her injuries, and she got into a good orphanage where she got paid for helping out the adults. Audrey didn't see it that way, and every time someone mentioned how lucky she was she felt a burning angry bitterness building inside of her. How _lucky_ she had been to watch her father and then mother die. How _lucky_ was she that it had taken countless months for her to put any weight on her crushed leg without wanting to sob at the pain. How _lucky_ she was to get stuck in some shit hole factory turned home for a bunch of children no one wanted. Yeah, she was just so fucking _lucky_ that she wanted to die but she couldn't just give up.

Audrey had accepted her fate when she had attempted to choke the archangel in the back of the cop car, and she had told Jeep to "Do it." She had known what Jeep had planned, to slam on the brakes and send the archangel flying through the windshield. She had accepted her death then and there but what had happened? Blinding, heart-stopping, gut-wrenching pain. Audrey remembered that clearly enough. Her arm being twisted awkwardly before shattering, her leg breaking quickly after that. Somewhere in there five of her ribs had snapped. The next clear memory is waking up in the hospital, nearly every inch of her body covered in gauze or a cast.

There were other, less unclear, memories that Audrey couldn't tell if she made up or not. Not even being able to let out a whimper as she laid immobile on the desert ground, every inch of her body in fiery pain. She supposed that was probably real. Waking, just for a moment, to see a dark figure pressing a hand right over her heart. She could have sworn that man, because the figure was so large and wide there was no way it could have been female, had wings too.

The memory, real or fake, that tortured Audrey the most was something she knew she had to imagine. A split second before Jeep had slammed on the brakes she could have sworn the archangel had turned his body, managing to engulf her with his wings before they were slammed through the windshield. It was crazy, her mind playing tricks with her to somehow make sense of everything that happened. She wasn't religious, but she knew that angels were suppose to be the good guys. Her mind couldn't handle the pressure of what she had been through and had made the angel to be something that he wasn't. He had been there to kill a baby after all. He had backhanded her so hard she thought he had broken her jaw. There was no way he would take most of the impact of the crash for her.

Audrey closed the door to her room quietly, glancing over at the empty bed that once had been occupied by her roommate. The other girl was quiet and had never gotten angry or told the adults when Audrey had nightmares and whimpered and screamed in her sleep. The girl had turned 18 two days ago and had left without saying goodbye. Not that Audrey cared, she had watched everyone she cared about die so she had promised herself never to put herself into that kind of situation again.

Audrey stripped out of her hand me down clothes in the dark, because she hadn't bothered to turn on the light, before pulling on a large t-shirt and shorts. She crawled under the covers of her bed and laid on her back, pulling out the necklace she had made herself to remind herself that she wasn't crazy, everything that happened at Paradise Falls hadn't been a horrible nightmare. It was a single dark gray feather, attacked to a long piece of thin black leather that she had wrapped around her neck several times. The piece of leather the feather was attached to she had purposely left a little long, so the tip of feather rested just between her breasts.

It was Michael's. Audrey was sure of it. He had someone survived the attack by the other angel and had come back for her. It was the only way she could have lived through being thrown through a windshield doing over 70. A nurse at the hospital told her she had been holding it when the ambulance found her.

Audrey tucked the feather back under her shirt, thinking of the angel Michael. No one had ever had faith in her until he came along. When she had to help deliver Charlie's baby he had been confident that she could do it, and she had. It had been the most disgusting thing she ever did, but it felt like it was also the only truly good thing she ever did. Until she jumped on the archangels back to distract him from hurting Jeep, Charlie, or the baby but she didn't know if choking an angel counted as "good", even if that jackass had been trying to hurt the only people left in the world she cared about.

Yet Jeep and Charlie had abandoned her. At first Audrey felt angry, then bitter, then sadness and finally she accepted what they had done. If she had seen someone go through the windshield of a car she would have expected them to be dead also. But Michael had come back for her, he had faith in her. Too bad Audrey had no faith in herself. She felt lost, afraid, and completely alone. The archangel didn't die on the road, he had gone after the baby again so Audrey didn't even know if any of them were even alive.

Though her mind was swimming with thoughts as it usually was during the nights, when she was left alone and it was quiet enough to actually think, she found herself slowly sinking into sleep.

_Audrey followed Jeep and Charlie out of the restaurant, staring wide eyed at all the Fallen who had surrounded the building but all their heads were bowed and there was a path to the cruiser. Jeep was out in front, strong and tense with a single gun but still ready and willing to fight every single one of these people with his bare hands if it meant saving Charlie and the baby, and perhaps even Audrey. Charlie was next, hunched slightly over a baby she never wanted but protecting it all the same. Audrey's hand was curled in Charlie's shirt, her whole body trembling from fear but suddenly her hand was only gripping air._

_ Jeep and Charlie were gone, and the Fallen all simitanously turned their heads to stare at Audrey. There black eyes greedy and promising a horrific death. Audrey turned and ran back into the dinner, slamming the door behind her._

_ "Michael!" The name was ripped out of her throat as she stared at the angels limp body that was sprawled across the dirty dinner floor. Blood soaked his shirt, his head was turned to her, those vibrant blue eyes unseeing._

_ "Just take it and leave my daughter alone," Audrey looked up in confusion._

_ "Mommy?" Audrey felt like she was 6 again, hearing strange noises and rushing into her parents room for them to comfort her. But she was 17 and the fear was brought on by very real monsters. The biggest one was standing in the dinner, towering over her beautiful mother who was holding a squirming white blanket. "Mom? What are you doing?" Audrey's heart beat painfully against her chest, like it was trying to break out._

_ "It's just one baby," Her mother, who had always been so strong and self confident looked broken and defeated. A sound like a car backfiring rang through the dinner and a small hole appeared in her mothers forehead before she toppled over._

_ Audrey let out an anguished scream before launching herself at the angel. He was bigger than her in every way and there was no way she could hope to defeat him but her pain wouldn't let her listen to reason. She punched, kicked, and bit him but he easily grabbed her wrists in an iron grip and wrapped his wings around her. He was saying something into her ear but she was screaming every swear word at him too loudly for her to understand his words. He tried again, she felt his lips move against her ear, but she screamed even louder, not wanting to hear what he had to say._

Audrey woke up biting her pillow and trying to choke down a scream. She didn't move a millimeter, waiting to see if she had actually screamed but she didn't hear any pounding footsteps so she relaxed and tried to calm her rapidly beating heart.

The nightmare was always different, but it didn't change her reaction to it. Sometimes she had to watch her dad die, sometimes she watched both her parents die. Sometimes the Fallen got to her, and she screamed as they tore her skin from her bones. Sometimes she'd be in the desert, several yards away from the destroyed cruiser but perfectly alright, just to turn and see the lifeless bodies of Charlie and Jeep.

Audrey pressed her hand to the feather while trying to push the nightmares out of her mind. She was careful not to push too hard, since she knew just how sharp those feathers were, but just as she was beginning to get her racing heart under control she heard noises. She sat up but didn't have to strain her hearing too much to realize what the sounds were. Water, from the communal bathroom. Someone was showering this late at night? That was against the rules.

Audrey wanted to lay back down and go back to sleep but her conscious, something she thought she had killed a long time ago, chattered at her until she was forced to slip on her boots and walk out of her room. Two weeks ago Audrey had heard noises coming from the bathroom and ignored them. The next morning she had found out that one of the younger kids was being bullied by a couple others, and they took it a step too far the night before hand. The kid had died, of blood loss, on the bathroom floor. Audrey still felt guilty about that. The kid had only been around 7, the other kids only a few years older than that. Audrey was small, but she could have handled a few 10 year olds.

Audrey walked into the pitch black bathroom. Even though it was dark she could still hear that all the showers had been turned on, and most likely the sinks too. Water sloshed under her boots and she felt instantly annoyed, cursing whoever had thought this prank would be funny. They didn't have to mop up this mess.

"Fucking kids," Audrey muttered before standing up straighter and feeling along the wall for the light switch. "Is someone in here? You little bastard, you better fucking come out right now." Usually she tried to watch her language, the lady who paid her and ran the orphanage made her pay a dollar out of her wages for every cuss word but Audrey felt this situation deserved a little swearing. Okay, a lot of swearing as Audrey again threatened the lifes of whoever was in the bathroom as she finally found the switch.

She flipped it on, blinking rapidly to try and get her eyes adjusted to the bright lights. There was a hissing sound before she was suddenly thrown back into the wall. Her head cracked painfully against the tile as she slid down, her head spinning while she tried to gain her bearings. Her shirt and shorts were now soaked, and she was angrier than ever.

"Fucking little monster," Audrey could finally see and she got down into a crouch because the open space was empty. She stared under the bathroom stalls and saw nothing. There was another hissing sound as Audrey sloshed her way over to the stalls, kicking the doors in angrily as she continued to swear.

The last stall door swung open, revealing the back of a kid who couldn't have been older than 10. Audrey had no idea how this little shit had pushed her so hard she had nearly cracked her skull open but he was going to pay. He was in the corner of the stall, facing it instead of her. The hairs on Audrey's neck stood up at the creepy child but she stood up to her full height and clenched her hands into fists.

She was just about to start cussing him out when she heard clicking noises from behind her. Audrey turned just in time to see a bat swinging for her. It slammed into her arm with enough force to topple her over. Audrey caught movement out of the corner of her eye and rolled just in time. Right where her head had been the bat slammed down, cracking the tile with the force. Audrey ignored the throbbing in her arm and rolled to her feet, wondering just what the hell was going on.

That's when she caught sight of the bat wielders face. It was Ms. Gardner, one of the helpers here, but Audrey instantly that she was no longer Ms. Gardner. She moved like a marionette doll, and her eyes were black and hallow. She was also making strange clicking noises as her head swung in Audrey's direct.

A hiss caught Audrey's attention and she looked up to see the child crouching atop the stall. His eyes were the same as Ms. Gardner, looking even eerier placed on a round, child's face. He had one too many joints, his arms and legs longer than there were when Audrey first saw him standing in the corner of the bathroom stall.

Audrey wanted his to be another one of her nightmares, one of the many where the Fallen came after her again but she knew they it wasn't a dream. Audrey launched herself at the Fallen who had taken over Ms. Gardner, right as the child jumped at her. They all went down and Audrey screamed as she felt teeth sink into the tender flesh of her shoulder.

Audrey tried to ignore the child and concentrate on Ms. Gardner, pushing down on the bat the old lady still held as she snapped elongated teeth at Audrey's exposed throat. Audrey couldn't stop the scream as the child started to scratch her back while letting go of her shoulder just to relatch himself into the same wound.

Faintly Audrey heard heavy footed steps and couldn't help herself when she started to pray. Not another Fallen, but she knew how quickly they gathered and knew that most of the orphanage was probably crawling with them. It was only a matter of seconds before she would be completely overtaken, but she refused to give up.

Audrey buckled, managing to knock the child off her back before bringing her fist down into Ms. Gardner's demonic face. Her sharp teeth ripped apart Audrey's knuckles but she continued to punch her, waiting for the moment when the child, or other Fallen, joined into the fight.

Audrey was grabbed by the neck and thrown backwards. She slammed into the sink and gasped in pain as her lungs seemed to stop working properly. Audrey knew she had to get up, and she tried, but her bad leg gave out on her and she nearly slammed her face into the floor. Audrey rolled and tried to use the wall to help her up but that's when she noticed something.

Silence. Absolute silence. The water had even stopped running and the only noise that was heard in the bathroom came from Audrey herself, wheezing gasps as she tried to force air into her uncooperative lungs.

Wide, blood shot green eyes looked around at the bathroom but stopped on a large figure that seemed to take up all the empty space. Audrey nearly screamed as she realized who was standing there. It wasn't bad enough to deal with the Fallen, but now the other monster from her nightmares had appeared.

Audrey forced herself to stand though her body protested vehemently. Her bad leg wobbled threateningly beneath her, her back and head throbbed, while the wound on her neck felt like it had been doused in liquor than lit on fire. But still she stood and let her hands twist into fists because she wouldn't give up. Even with a building full of would-be Fallen and an archangel who wanted her dead, and could kill her without much effort, she couldn't give up.

Gabriel stood in the middle of the bathroom, and it took a moment for Audrey to realize he wasn't wearing his armor and he didn't have that huge spiked mace either. It said something about the man when it took someone a moment to realize they didn't have a rather large weapon.

"You are still unsafe," Those words shocked Audrey, but the also shook her out of her quiet stupor. She sneered at him.

"No shit Sherlock, you are here after all." It looked as if he were about to speak but Audrey continued speaking, gaining steam as she went. "Did you come to finish me off? What? You didn't fill you're quota of killing innocents? Well bad news for you, you dumb son of a bitch, I'm not so innocent and I won't go down as easily as a defenseless baby! What are you waiting for you fucking bastard, come and kill me!" She grabbed the nearest thing, a square of soap, and launched it at him but it bounced off his wide chest harmlessly.

"I am not here to kill you," Gabriel said, his voice a low, rumbling timbre. Even his voice was intimidating, and Audrey hated that it made her knees shake in fear. Like she wasn't afraid enough as it was. "But unless you wish to see more of your companions die, I suggest we leave." Audrey lost some of her anger to confusion. See more of her companions die? She dared look away from the large angel to glance around the room. That's when she saw Ms. Gardner's body, but not her head. Her head was several feet away, cleanly cut at the neck. The boy laid limply in the corner of the room, his back twisted at an odd angle.

"We must go," Gabriel commanded before Audrey could think of anything to say. That's when she could hear the thudding of running feet. More Fallen? Or just the rest of the orphanage coming to check out what all the noise was about? Either way she didn't want to stick around to find out.

Gabriel strode forward, his long legs covering the distance to a stunned Audrey in no time. Audrey feared for her life, despite what he had said and what he had done. What had he done exactly? Did the archangel who had once tried to kill her, save her?

Gabriel and Michael, at first glance, had a lot in common. There both towered over most people, they had startling blue eyes that seemed to see right into a persons soul, and they were both intimidating as all hell. But Michael seemed softer than Gabriel, his eyes not so emotionless and cruel, and he had lines around his mouth and eyes, like he had smiled and laughed a lot through his many years. Gabriel's face was completely unreadable, and there was no indication that there was anything going on underneath the calm, cruel surface.

Light blue eyes scanned over Audrey, taking in all her injuries. Her arm was hurt, though not broken. She could hardly stand on her left leg and blood was pouring out of the wound on her neck and a cut on her forehead she was unaware of. After his assessment he swiftly picked her up, one arm under her knees and the other behind her poor, bruised back and before Audrey could start yelling he took off.

Gabriel crashed through people, his wings expanding before wrapping protectively around Audrey. Before his wings closed though Audrey saw their faces, and their cold, dead black eyes.

Gabriel made short work of getting to the front of the building and crashing through the closed door before he spread his wings and took off. Audrey gripped his cotton shirt despite herself and swallowed down a scream as the angel leveled out and started to fly away from the orphanage.

Audrey wasn't sad about leaving. None of the clothes she left behind were actually hers, and all her possessions had been blown up at Paradise Falls. She always kept the money she made at the orphanage tucked into her boot, so she had that, and the only thing she actually cared about was secured around her neck, Michael's feather. She had been planning to walk away from the orphanage as soon as she turned 18 anyways, and she certainly wouldn't miss working there.

Audrey studied the angel who had first tried to kill her then saved her. She was as confused as ever by him. God had ordered the babies death, Gabriel had come to complete that order, and Audrey had gotten in the way so she was to be dealt with. She understood that, but why come back and save her from the Fallen? Had God told him to save her? Was he really that fickle?

"Why are you doing this?" Audrey had to shout, something she liked doing anyways, to be heard over the wind. Gabriel didn't pretend to misunderstand her and looked down at her. Calm blue eyes met wide, frightened and slightly wild green ones.

"You must be protected," Gabriel didn't have to shout to be heard over the wind, and his voice still sent a shiver of fear down Audrey's spine. It should be against the rules for someone to look that intimidating and have a voice that would make a grown man cry in fear.

"Why?" Audrey asked, her knuckles turning white due to the tight grip she had on the neck of his shirt. Her knuckles brushed against the cold metal collar and his warm skin every once and a while, the contrast was unsettling.

"I do not question my orders, just carry them out." Gabriel looked away from her, signaling the end of their conversation but Audrey was far from done. Perhaps she shouldn't have pushed the angel who could drop her from a very high height, but she had a feeling Gabriel didn't waste time with lies, and that he was telling the truth about protecting her.

"So you never asked why exactly you had to murder a baby?" Audrey wanted to grab his collar and choke him with it as he shook his head without hesitatation.

"Sleep now, your fragile human body needs the rest." Gabriel commanded and Audrey's body felt heavier immediately, like it was just waiting for Gabriel to point out how much it'd been through. She was hurt and sore all over, still losing blood, and now that the adrenaline caused by a life-threatening situation was gone Audrey wanted nothing more than to crawl up in a ball and sleep for a week but she was stubborn and she hated being ordered around, especially by the archangel.

"Fuck you," Gabriel lost a little altitude at the harsh words and Audrey nearly yelled in triumph from shaking the detached angel. "You're going to explain to me what the hell is going on. Starting with-"

"You have three questions and then you will sleep." Gabriel said, his voice low and serious. Audrey felt her eye lids drooping and knew she had to agree with this.

"Why did you save me?" Audrey asked.

"Because I was ordered to." Gabriel answered and Audrey let out a huff.

"That's it?"

"Yes, you have one more question left." Audrey's mouth fell open then she snapped it shut as she tried to think of the most important question she needed answered, but there were so many. Her fingers flexed, lightly touching his chest and she pulled back her hand quickly, not wanting anymore contact than was necessary.

"Are Charlie, Jeep and the baby alive?" Audrey hadn't meant to ask that but it slipped out. Her heart rate picked up as she waited anxiously to hear his answer. What would she do if he said no? She had been willing to die with him once, she had no qualms about doing it again. She was positive she was already heading to hell so killing an angel wouldn't tip the scale. Could she snap his wing? That was her only plan. His feathers had deflected bullets, but perhaps there was a weakness somewhere.

"Yes." Gabriel answered and Audrey's whole body relaxed, she hadn't even realized how tense she had been until that moment. Her muscles screamed out in protest as her head lulled to the side.

"Thank god," Audrey muttered, though she didn't think He had anything to do with them surviving since He had wanted them dead. Maybe she should start thanking Buddha or some other deity, but she could hardly think straight as her mind was pulled under a blanket of black.

Gabriel held Audrey a little closer now that it was safe to because she was fast asleep. She was shivering and he knew he had to find a place to settle down and see to her wounds before infection settled in or she lost too much blood, but he was reluctant to pick a spot just yet. That feeling confused him, but he was now used to that feeling.

After so many years of being self-assured that what he was doing was right he felt broken and seemed to be drowning. Gabriel glanced down first at the sleeping girl in his arms, who's soul was bared to him even though she tried so hard to hide it. It was ripped, torn, burned, and some spots it looked like someone had tried to hastily sew it back together but the seams were coming undone, and it was shrouded in darkness. The human girl had not yet seen 18 years but she had sinned so much, tarnishing herself all the way to her soul.

He couldn't stand staring at the pitiful human souls, he had long ago stopped looking at them because they were all dark, and he focused his attention on the order written on his forearm. The elegant, ancient language wrapped around his left wrist than spiraled up his arm, stopping right before his bicep.

Gabriel didn't want these orders, and didn't want to fulfill them but as always, he pushed aside his own feelings to do what He ordered even though that seemed to bring him nothing but pain now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed and/or favorited! I hope you enjoy the new chapter. :)**

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><p>Gabriel worked as quietly and quickly as he could on the sleeping human girl. He refused to call her by her given name, though it was inked on his arm and echoed through his skull, a reminder of his failures and shortcomings that he hadn't even been aware of until she came along. He willed her to stay asleep, mostly because he didn't want to deal with her foul language and constant heated stares, like he was the root of all her problems and she'd like nothing more than to get rid of him. A smaller part, that he denied existed, wanted her to remain sleeping so she would not have to deal with the pain of him stitching up her wounded neck.<p>

Gabriel had landed at the abandoned house he had scouted out several days ago. It would take time for the Fallen to relocate the girl, and by then he had planned to be moving onto the next safe house. He had stocked this house with the necessities, which included a first aid kit because humans were so fragile, cause point the one he was currently sewing up.

He had walked into the bathroom to see two Fallen attacking her, and another striding towards her. Gabriel had to admit she fought bravely, though meaninglessly since there was no way she could have won that fight if he hadn't shown up. She hadn't cried out when the Fallen had tore out a piece of flesh, though she was lucky it had possessed a child and couldn't open its mouth any wider. He wasn't surprised by her fighting spirit; she had shot a flare gun in his face and attempted to choke him all to save people who left her without a glance backwards.

Gabriel's muscles clamped down, tensing up as he thought of the betrayal. It was not the same magnitude of the one he suffered through but they were similar. The human male who had been driving had hesitated, he had the cleanest soul of anyone in the filthy dinner and he had known it would kill the human girl if he put his foot on the brakes but it had been a choice between the whore who carried a child that was not his own, or the girl willing to give up her life. He chose the whore, just as God chose Michael. Would always choose Michael though Gabriel had followed all His orders without fault or question.

Gabriel pulled his hands away from the girl, she was already hurt enough and in his anger and pain he might forget how easily human skin broke or bones snapped. He bowed his head, closing his vibrant blue eyes and took three deep breaths to try and calm himself.

Comparing himself to a human, especially this human, was absurd. She had one moment of unselfishness, while he had lived his whole life burying his own thoughts and feelings to serve Him completely. Gabriel's orders were to protect her, this tarnished disgusting human, and he felt like it was more of a punishment though all he had been doing was listening to His orders, as he always had done.

Gabriel continued to see to the human girls wounds, standing up when he was done and staring down at her. Half her face was covered in blood, along with her neck and her shirt was soaked in it. Still forming bruises were appearing on her arms and knees, probably her back also though it was covered by her shirt. Her hand, neck, and forehead were bandaged and that was all he should have felt like doing but he did not want to leave her to sleep in her own blood. He remembered a long ago time, when he had passed out from savage wounds and woken up, wounds healing and dried blood caked to his body. It wasn't a pleasant experience.

He gathered a bowl of warm water and a washcloth before going back to her side and placing the items on the floor besides the couch, which the girl was sleeping fitfully on. Gabriel didn't have the patience for her whimpering or fidgeting so he placed his hand on her head and made her mind blank, but not before seeing she was having nightmares that involved her dead family members and him. He tried not to think about that.

Gabriel pulled a curved, wicked looking knife out of his boot that had a gold handle and the same ancient writing that adorned his arms scrawled on the blade. He cut away her shirt and shorts, careful not to cut her but not taking anymore care than that. He pulled away the rags before placing the blade back in his boot and beginning to wash away the drying blood, pausing as he stared at what was around her neck. Gabriel dragged his eyes away from the feather before scrubbing at the drying blood.

Gabriel could have healed her wounds completely, all angels possessed that skill, but he had thought that particular ability was useless and did not know how to use it properly and he would not risk it again. Other angels would have been more preferable to this job, ones who had not given up on the human race like he had so many centuries ago, but he was the one stuck now. Never to see Heaven until he was either called back or this human died.

He couldn't help but think that if he had let her die that night in the desert he wouldn't be here now, feeling banished and rejected. Gabriel did not know why he did it, why he decided at the last moment to take the brute force of the crash. It nearly hadn't of worked either, her arm had gotten twisted beneath him and crushed, and her leg had broken also. He had held her too tight and broke several of her ribs and somewhere in the midst of all that she had hit her head so hard on his breast plate her skull had cracked open.

When they stopped rolling he had pulled himself off of her and stared down at her broken body. She had stared at him with green eyes filled with pain and acceptance. What stopped him from taking off and going after the baby again were her words. Her soul had been ready to leave her body but he had pushed it back into place while his free hand had hovered over her body, looking for the wound that was causing her death.

Gabriel had never been impulsive, that had always been a trait of Michael and Sariel, but not one he possessed. He did something without fully thinking it through that night. He found the source of death and put his hand against her side, where one of her ribs had pierced her lung, and he concentrated on healing her. He had done much more than heal her rib though, something irrevocably stupid.

Gabriel cut off the memory and tossed a blanket over the girl, remembering human modesty though her past had proven she cared not of what people saw of her body.

He couldn't be in the same room with the reminder of his failures anymore so he strode out of the house, took off in the air and landed lightly on the roof. From here he had a perfect view of any enemies who dared to approach. Gabriel was close to hoping that the Fallen would find them, he wanted to fight and let his warrior instincts take over so there was no room for thinking. He had too much time to think lately.

When Audrey woke up the first thing she noticed was the soreness, unbelievably aching throughout her whole body. She wasn't even this sore when she woke up from her crash through a windshield, since she had been on so many painkillers. Her shoulder burned like someone was pushing hot ice against it, her hand felt the same way and her head, back, arm and bad leg were throbbing in pain.

The next thing she noticed was that she was naked, underneath a blanket. Alright, not completely naked since she still had her bra and underwear on, but close enough to make her uncomfortable. Audrey forced herself to sit up and wrapped the blanket around her even though her shoulder protested loudly. _Note to self: Do not let possessed children gnaw on her shoulder._

Audrey pushed herself into a standing position, and nearly fell over as little black dots appeared in her vision from all the pain throbbing through her body. She forced herself not to throw up as she took in her surroundings. She was in a small living room that looked cozy but had an abandoned feeling to it. She knew that feeling because it was the same way her old house had felt when her family had packed everything into the moving van.

Audrey stumbled away from the couch, barely recognizing that she still had her boots on, and limped down the hall, holding the blanket in a white knuckle grip with her good hand. The first bedroom she walked into had bags in it and she walked over, kicking the bag over and spilling the contents out. Clothes, thank- well not god, but thank someone who seemed to have some mercy for a poor, hurt, confused and half-naked teenager.

Audrey had been forced to wear grubby, ill-fitting hand me down clothes at the orphanage so she had quickly lost the ability to be a clothes snob. None of these clothes were anything old Audrey would have worn before Paradise Falls, but they were just fine for the new Audrey. She picked out a long sleeved black peasant blouse and some shorts before kicking off her boots and putting the clothes on quickly. She pulled her boots back on and began to search through the house again.

There was another bedroom, smaller than the first and bare of anything that would prove someone lived there. The last room was a bathroom, which Audrey made use of and tried not to look too hard at her reflection.

Audrey walked back to the living room and glanced into the kitchen but she had to come to the conclusion that she was alone in the small house. Where was that damn angel? Had he been the one to bandage her wounds?

Audrey stomped her way out of the front door and onto the porch. She was about to storm down the stairs and start shouting to the heavens but a head appeared over the porch, causing her to scream and to lash out, with her fist.

"Fuck!" Audrey shouted as her fist exploded in pain. Blood soaked the bandage, but it was her own as she gripped it with her other hand and tried to stop the burning pain.

"You should stay inside." Gabriel said, landing lightly on the ground and not even phased by the punch.

"You could at least act like it hurt, bastard." Audrey cursed vividly at the angel, who's only reaction was a slight fluttering of his wings. "I think you broke my hand."

"You broke your own hand," Gabriel corrected, causing the girls eyes to narrow at him. He walked up the steps and held out his hand patiently. Audrey glared down at his hand before looking up at him.

"What? You want a fucking high five or something?" Audrey growled out, holding her wounded hand to her chest and wondering if her foot in his groin would do anything. She didn't even know if angels had anything between their legs, he could be just like a Ken doll and the only thing she'd accomplish was breaking her foot. But damn was his jaw hard, it had been like punching a concrete wall. She had heard the saying 'his jaw looked like it was carved out of marble' but Gabriel's jaw really was.

Instead of answering Gabriel reached for her. Audrey's first instinct was to step back but she straightened up to her full height, which wasn't anything impressive next to his massive frame, and glared up at him, daring him to do anything to her. Gabriel grasped her wrist in a hold that was neither gentle nor harming, and pulled her wounded hand away from her chest to look down at it. His other hand hovered over it before it dropped to his side.

"It is not broken, stop your complaining." Before Audrey could find out if he had anything below the belt he pulled her back into the house and led her to the kitchen, where the first aid was sitting on the counter.

"I'm not a doll, you can't just fucking-"

"Enough swearing." Gabriel commanded and Audrey's chin went up a notch as she continued to glare at the large angel.

"Fuck, fuck, fuckity, fuck, fuck-" Audrey had planned to go through all the swear words she knew but then deflated and went silent when she remembered that her dad had asked her not to swear so much and she had replied with the same thing.

Gabriel didn't know what brought on the sudden silence but was glad for it while he unbandaged Audrey's hand, cleaned the reopened cuts, and then rebandaged it. Audrey was too lost in memories of her parents to scathingly remark, and plainly thanked him. Gabriel should have stayed quiet, he knew that, but he felt compelled to speak, something that had rarely, if ever happened to him.

"If you continue to punch like that, you are going to break your wrist or thumb." Fire again lit Audrey's green eyes as they narrowed up at him.

"So show me how to punch, _oh great one_." Audrey mockingly said but Gabriel, apparently immune to sarcasm, nodded once and grabbed her good hand. Audrey bit back a reply and decided it would be a good idea to learn how to punch. Gabriel, realizing he had her cooperation for once, folded her fingers into a fist and put her thumb over them.

"Put your fists up," Audrey listened and put her fists up, in front of her face. Gabriel corrected her, pulling her fists about shoulder length apart and just below eye level. "Now punch." Audrey listened again, tossing her fist out before Gabriel once again fixed her. He moved her to the center of the kitchen and stepped behind her.

"No funny business, big guy." Audrey warned.

"Relationships between angels and humans are forbidden, and why would I risk eternal damnation for a human like you?" Audrey had been called every bad name there was, even by her own mother, but hearing it in that deep voice of an angel made the sting hurt just a bit more but she steeled herself from the pain and spun on him.

"And a would-be baby killer has room to judge others?" Audrey glared up at him, wishing he wasn't so damn tall so she wouldn't have to crane her neck to look into his eyes. "You wanted to kill a defenseless baby, how the hell is that worse than anything I've done? You think you're better than me just because God told you to do something? Well I've got news for you Sasquatch, you're not. How many people have been mindlessly tortured and slaughtered in the name of God? Because **your** God told them to do it? You're not better than them so don't you dare fucking look down at me-"

"You are testing my patience," Gabriel towered over Audrey and his eyes bore down at her, and she suddenly had a lump in her throat that she found hard to swallow down. She was scared, anyone facing this angry archangel would be but she stiffened her shoulders and glared back at him.

"You try to fucking kill me-"

"If I had attempted to kill you, you would be dead." Gabriel stated simply, seemingly recovered from his moment of outrage while Audrey still steamed. "Think about it child, I barely touched you. Do you know how easily it would have been just to reach over-" He grasped her neck in a quick move that Audrey never saw coming. "And snap your neck?" Gabriel had backhanded her, it had left her dizzy with spots in her eyes but it only hurt slightly more than when her mom had slapped her but less than when a guy who had been angry when she tried to push him away had punched her.

Audrey had seen him smash up the floor with his mace and send a grown man flying over a counter with one hit. She knew that he could have killed her easily in the backseat.

"Why didn't you?" Audrey was ashamed her voice came out as a whisper, and even more ashamed she had asked the question at all. Gabriel's hold loosened on her neck as he stared into sad green eyes. Gabriel saw that part of her wished he had killed her, and another part even wished he'd get the job done with now so she could be with her family again and away from the pain and hurt that was her constant companion. Gabriel knew the girl would never give up, she was a fighter and would fight until her last breath, so she would never put a gun in her mouth or open her wrists in the cowards way out but that didn't change the fact that she wanted to die.

"I do not know," Angels didn't lie, but Gabriel had no answer for her. He never questioned his actions, just accepted them for what they were. He also knew that wasn't the answer the girl wanted as her green eyes swirled with something deeper and heavier than sadness. He had never spent enough time with humans to ever feel anything but disgust or disinterest in them, but he wanted to comfort her somehow. The only ones he had ever comforted were his brothers, the other archangels, and that had been with a hand on the shoulder or a hug in some of their darker days.

"So are you going to show me how to punch or not?" Audrey asked before he could decide whether or not he wanted to hug the small girl. She pushed his limp hand off of her neck and gave him her back before getting into the fighters stance he had shown her.

Gabriel put his hand on her hip, making her rotate it when she extended her fist. Audrey forced herself to concentrate on what he was saying and showing, and not how large his hand was on her hip or how his deep, rumbling voice sounded in her ear or the heat that radiated from his body. She hated his archangel but why the hell did God have to make them so attractive?

Audrey had never really had a type of guy she was interested in, but she tried to stick with ones who didn't weigh much more than her or weren't that much bigger than her, it was less likely that they'd be able to hurt her even though most did. Gabriel's sheer size frightened Audrey to her very core, and at first it had brought up memories she thought she had buried long ago. Gabriel could hurt her far worse than any of those guys could, but he never did. His strength was tremendous, and even though he didn't try to be careful with her, he had not hurt her. There were no new bruises on her wrist or neck where he had grabbed her and the only time he had actually harmed her was after she shot a flare gun in his face.

Audrey didn't want to feel anything nice towards the archangel, and she especially didn't want to feel safe with him but she was beginning to. That scared her more than his size or strength did. She needed someone to hate, to blame for everything that had happened at Paradise Falls and all that she had lost, and Gabriel had been the perfect escape goat. Then he had shown up, saved her, and proclaimed that he was going to protect her. She had no idea what to do or how to feel anymore.

"Is there water? Can I shower?" Audrey asked after Gabriel declared that she was as good at punching as she was ever going to get. He thought the whole thing was pointless, since he was going to be around to protect her from anything that would cause her to fight.

Gabriel nodded and watched as the girl walked off to shower. He set to work making her food, knowing she would most likely come out of the shower complaining of hunger and cussing at him. She now seemed to be swearing to grate his nerves when he made her angry, which was most of the time.

Audrey let out a satisfied noise as the warm water hit her aching muscles. It stung her wounds but she turned her back to it and lets the hard spray work out the knots in her back. She bowed her head, closing her eyes so she didn't have to see how the clear water turned a murky burgundy at her feet because of all the dried blood in her hair.

There was only body wash, but it was better than nothing. Audrey scrubbed her hair, washing it out several times until the water finally ran clear again. By the time she was completely done the water was going cold and she hopped out and glanced around for a towel but there was none.

"Gabriel!" Audrey yelled, shivering now that the cold air was hitting her wet skin. It couldn't have been more than half a minute after Audrey yelled when the archangel burst through the door, mace raised menacingly as he looked around the modest-sized bathroom. Audrey stared at him in shock before covering herself as best she could and kicking at him. "Get out you perverted jackass!" Gabriel let his arm drop and looked down at the girl.

"You screamed my name, do not do that again unless you are in trouble." Gabriel growled out.

"All I wanted was a fucking towel, now get out!" She managed to shove him out, though admittedly he allowed her to, and slammed the door behind him. Audrey was not a modest person, her old wardrobe would make a hooker proud, but it had been a long time since someone had seen her naked and it left her feeling strangely exposed and vulnerable. Though the archangel stared at her the same when she was fully clothed, she expected he still would look at her the same if she pranced around in bubble wrap.

The door opened and Gabriel's large arm poked in, holding a blanket in his hand.

"This is all there is." Audrey took it, thanking him quietly and then wrapping it around herself. The door stayed opened, but just a small sliver. "Is there anything else you require?" Gabriel's voice rumbled from the other side of the door, low and quiet but completely clear. Audrey needed a hair and tooth brush but his question had left her feeling even more vulnerable than when he had seen her naked.

"No thank you Gabriel." The door closed quietly and Audrey was left staring at it in wonder.

Audrey wanted to hate Gabriel because without that feeling she felt like the rug had been swept out from under her, again, and she just couldn't handle that again. Despite him being an angel she had thought of him as a bad guy, because no matter what there is no justification for hurting a defenseless child. She needed him to be the bad guy because who else was there? God? She wasn't religious, had never been and even if she were her time at Paradise Falls would have shattered any beliefs but even she couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that God was evil.

There was another reason Audrey didn't want to admit that Gabriel wasn't the evil archangel she made him out to be. It had been less than 24 hours and she was already starting to depend on him, even like him when he wasn't ordering her around. She didn't want to be emotionally attached to anyone, especially the archangel, she didn't know if she was strong enough to lose anyone else. And she would, eventually, lose Gabriel. He was an angel after all, not meant for this world, and he'd have to return to Heaven.

After putting back on the blouse, shorts, and her boots Audrey walked out of the bathroom, more confused than ever. When she walked into the kitchen there was a bowl of soup waiting on the kitchen table for her. Audrey tried to ignore the suspicious stinging in her eyes and the way her throat tightened at the simple gesture. Why was the archangel doing this? It made it damn hard to hate him.

Audrey sat down at the table and stared at Gabriel's back as he filled empty water bottles with tap water. The first thing Audrey always noted about the angel was that he was huge. He stood perhaps a foot taller than her 5'7 height but he was so broad, his shoulders and chest, that he seemed so much bigger. The large dark gray wings attached to his back only added to his size, and Audrey had to wonder how such a big guy could be so graceful. He never knocked into anything, even though whatever room he was in seemed to small for him.

Gabriel turned around and Audrey quickly ducked her head and began eating, her cheeks heating at being caught studying the archangels back. It wasn't her fault that he had a really nice back, and she had only been staring at his back and only his back even though his tight trousers provided a perfect view of another one of his nice assets, and she wasn't referring to his legs, though those were also nice.

If God hadn't wanted Audrey to oogle Gabriel then He wouldn't have made Gabriel worth oogling, and then wouldn't have put a totally hot angel in such tight pants.

"We can stay here another night but we will be leaving at first light." Gabriel said as he watched the girl eat the soup with relish. He couldn't help the swell of pride at the success of the meal. Angel had no need of food, so he had never cooked before now. He was obviously very skilled.

"If by first light I hope you mean noon." Audrey spooned another chunk o the unidentifiable soup into her mouth. She had no idea how the archangel had managed to mess up soup but she found if she shoveled it into her mouth and swallowed it quickly she didn't have to taste it, too much at least. After living off of hospital food and then the orphanage food she wasn't too picky with what she ate, and she was starving.

"I mean when the sun rises." Gabriel took her empty bowl and filled it before setting the bowl back in front of her. Audrey was starving, but she would rather eat her own hair than have another bowl of that goop.

Audrey looked up at the angel to tell him if he wanted her to live he'd stop cooking and there was no way she was waking up that early but her words caught in her throat. The usually stoic angel was staring down at her with a look she had never seen on his face. He looked proud and expectant. Despite what people thought of her, she did have a heart, and so she choked down her words with a big spoonful of the disgusting soup. She could have sworn she saw the corner of the archangels mouth twitch, like he was trying to smile but didn't know how to.

"Thank you Gabriel." Gabriel's wings twitched at the sound of his name coming out of that usually vulgar mouth. She had only said his name once before, actually screamed it in the bathroom and then followed it up with kicking and pushing him after he rushed to her side. He had heard his name said like a pray, with reverence or fear, or screamed from his enemies but she said it differently. He was bewildered to find he liked the way his name sounded coming from her.

"You are welcome," Gabriel paused a moment, crossing his large arms over his broad chest. "Audrey." He finished and Audrey hid her grin at the reluctance the giant showed at saying her name.

"I'm still not getting up at 6, or whenever the hell sun rise is." Audrey said, not able to resist ruining the nice, calm moment they had going.

"Would you rather wait until the Fallen have found you again? Perhaps a few more wounds will convince you to listen to me." Audrey stood up and washed out her bowl.

"If you had been faster, my great protector, I wouldn't be hurt in the first place." Something dark crossed over the angels face, a look she had nightmares about. She had seen the same look from guys just before they hit her or girls just before they said a scathing remark.

Audrey took a step backwards before she even realized she had, and Gabriel noticed that, and also the look of fear on her face. His anger disappeared as quickly as it had appeared and he suddenly felt tired.

"You should rest, we will be leaving early." Audrey turned and left the kitchen, glad for a reason to get away from the angel. She kicked off her boots but left her clothes on as she slipped under the covers and stared up at the ceiling.

Her feelings were warring inside of her. On one side she continued to remind herself of Gabriel's past actions, and how might be protecting her now but what if he suddenly got an order to kill her? He would do it without hesitation, she knew that. He was huge, unemotional and undeniably frightening.

Then another part of her, a growing part of her, kept reminding her of all the things he had done for her. His orders were to protect her, yes, but not to care for her. Not to get her clothes or a comfortable place to sleep, or even to teach her how to punch properly.

Audrey had no idea what to do.

Gabriel was lost in his own thoughts in the kitchen. He needed the girl to trust him, not fear him, but he felt as if he was walking on egg shells around her. He had no idea what would set off her fear for him. He was trying to be patient, but he had never been very good at that.

Gabriel's head snapped up as he felt the presence of someone drawing near, at a rapid speed. His hand clenched around the handle of his mace, that suddenly appeared, before he turned and walked out of the house.

Hard blue eyes looked up at the sky, waiting for Michael to come.


	3. Chapter 3

Michael landed softly on the overgrown grass, the only sound in the night air was his beating wings and the distant sound of cicadas. Michael regarded his brother with calm, albeit sad eyes. Gabriel wasn't wearing his armor, only his cotton shirt and pants, and leather boots that ended just below his knees. Gabriel's mace reflected the moonlight menacingly but Michael kept his sword in its sheath.

"Hello brother," Michael said, taking a step to the slightly taller angel who stiffened but relaxed a moment later. Gabriel's reaction hurt Michael, but he didn't let that show.

"The human girl is safe; she is inside sleeping if you wish to clarify it." Michael stepped in front of Gabriel, cupping the back of his neck and making the bigger archangel lean down so Michael could rest his forehead against Gabriel's.

"I trust you Gabriel," Michael said, then released his brother. Though Michael wasn't lying when he said he trusted Gabriel, he still wished to see Audrey. Michael hadn't put much stock into the small girl when he first saw her, but like most of humankind, she proved to be much stronger in spirit than he could have guessed. He worried for the girl, though he worried more for his brother who didn't have patience for humans, let alone an outspoken, strong-willed one like Audrey. Though Michael knew his brother would take care of the human girl, no matter his own personal feelings.

"Why am I here Michael?" Gabriel's voice usually revealed nothing, but Michael had known him since the Earth was brought into existence. Gabriel sounded broken and lost, Michael hated that he had played any part in that.

"You were chosen to watch over Audrey, she plays a bigger part in the Saviors life than just bringing him into this world." Michael answered honestly, though he did not understand why Gabriel was the one who was chosen for the task of guarding the human girl. Certainly there were other angels who didn't have history with the girl or didn't view the human race with distaste that could have protected Audrey. Michael did not know what the prophecy held for his brother or Audrey, it was written on Jeep and only the person who had the ancient writing on them could read it, or a prophet but one of those hadn't been born for a very long time.

"You wish for the human's Savior to be brought into temptation and for its soul to turn black, twisted and ugly?" Gabriel asked angrily. "For that is the only role that girl can play in its life." Michael was surprised by these words but that feeling quickly faded. Michael himself had nearly been fooled by the outer appearance of Audrey's soul, but he had looked deeper as he always had and found the truth of what lied just under the dark surface. Gabriel had not bothered to do so, just judging the girl and her soul by its outer appearance. "She wears your feather around her neck, you checked on her after we fought."

"Yes, I didn't expect her to be alive and wished to escort her soul." Out of all the deaths that occurred at Paradise Falls he had felt the worst over Audrey's, but he had been shocked when he found her alive, barely breathing and unconscious, but alive. "Give this to her please," Michael handed Gabriel an envelope and took a step back, feeling a tug in his mind and knowing he was being summoned. Gabriel noticed the summons and he tried to hide his hurt by looking away from Michael. Michael would have embraced his brother if he thought Gabriel would allow it, but the blonde angel knew Gabriel would push him away. His wounds were still too fresh, and Michael's presence was doing more harm than good.

"You should go, you do not want to keep Him waiting for he favors your presence above all else." Michael closed his eyes at the pain in the other archangels voice but there was nothing he could do for him, nothing the stubborn angel would let him do so he unfurled his wings.

"Brother, look deeper at the girls soul." With that Michael pushed off from the ground and soared away.

Gabriel sat down heavily on the porch steps, letting his mace fall to the ground as he hung his head. Gabriel did not understand why He scorned him, punished him even though he had always followed His orders. Gabriel never argued or even hesitated, even though some of the things he did made him feel like he was dying inside.

Audrey woke to a sharp pain that came from right below her heart. She pulled up her shirt and rubbed the spot, expecting a wound or even a bruise but there was nothing, not even a scar; only warm, smooth skin. She pushed her shirt back down and closed her eyes, but the pain seemed to be coming from underneath her ribs, and it wasn't going away.

Audrey did not want to get up. She was still sore all over, and though she tried to hide it, it was becoming increasingly difficult to put any weight on her bad leg. Her head pounded, her arm, back, and knees were covered in bruises and the wound on her neck and forehead still hurt. The brunette just wanted a night of uninterrupted sleep before she was forced to get up by a grumpy, emotionally detached, frightening archangel.

She got up anyways, shoving her boots on and stumbling her way out of her dark room. There were no lights on in the house, and the curtains were all drawn tightly closed. Luckily the house was scarcely furnished or she would have added a few new bruises to her already black and blue body.

Audrey searched for Gabriel, planning on asking if he had gotten any pain killers though she had no idea how he could have. With his medieval-looking wardrobe and huge frame he wouldn't fit in anywhere he went, even if he didn't have large dark gray wings sprouting from his back.

The front door was slightly ajar and she remembered that earlier he had been out on the roof. Maybe he went up there again to scout out the surroundings or do whatever angels do when they aren't trying to kill her or ordering her around.

Audrey pushed open the door and stopped as she spotted the big frame of the angel sitting on the bottom step. His head was bowed, and his hands were covering the back of his neck. He wasn't making a sound but Audrey saw the subtle shaking of his shoulders.

Audrey wanted to turn around and leave him be, but the ache below her heart felt like someone was stabbing her and she thought maybe it was her conscious kicking in. After all he had done for her maybe now was her time to pay him back. She didn't know how he'd react to being comforted by the likes of her, a human girl he thought so lowly of, but she had to try. She had tough skin and was use to being pushed away, so it wouldn't bother her. Too horribly at least.

Audrey stepped around his large body and planted herself in front of him, he didn't move so she took that as a good sign. She placed her bandaged hand on his head softly, pausing for a second to test his reaction, before letting her fingers go through his soft hair.

No one had ever let Audrey comfort them, unless it was by using her body, so she didn't know what she was doing exactly but she had seen enough movies to get the jist of it. She stepped in-between the angels legs, moving closer to him so she could perhaps hug him. To say she was surprised when he raised his head and pressed his face into her stomach was a bit of an understatement.

Since Paradise Falls Audrey had learned to be very adaptable, she could adjust to any situation rather quickly. So she let the angel bury his face in her shirt while she slowly ran her fingers through his hair, hoping the motion brought some comfort to him.

Audrey's back protested the movement but she bent down and hugged the large angel. There was a pause before Gabriel's arms hesitantly wrapped around her waist and they stayed that way, silent and unmoving until gradually Gabriel's shoulders stopped shaking.

Audrey had spent months in the hospital sobbing into her pillow, but before that, and before Paradise Falls she hadn't cried in years. When people, even your own parents, think you're nothing but a dumb whore either you become tough or spend the majority of your time crying in a bathroom stall. After she had lost her virginity when she was 13, was labeled a slut, and abandoned by everyone she had called a friend she had spent the majority of her freshman year hiding in the bathroom stall, crying, but then she stopped. She refused to let anyone make her cry ever again. Not enemies, friends, or even her own family.

When Audrey caught her mom crying she thought she was weak, and she always thought the worst of men who cried. She thought it made them lesser, but she couldn't think that way of the broken angel who wet her shirt with his tears.

Audrey continued to run her bandaged hand through the angels soft hair even though her bad leg trembled beneath her and her back and head throbbed in pain. The pain beneath her ribs was ebbing though, and she thought perhaps it had to do with the angels pain.

Her leg finally gave out but Gabriel caught her with ease before placing her softly on the steps above his, carefully moving his wing out the way to make room. Audrey stared into the archangels heart-breakingly beautiful face and reached up, using the sleeve of her shirt to wipe away the wetness under his blue eyes.

"You should be resting, you are putting too much strain on your body." Gabriel said as he watched Audrey pull away her hand to rub her thigh. There were scars there, and he remembered the protruding bone that had broken the skin. He pushed away her small, pale hand and replaced his own on her thigh. Audrey let out a gasp then groaned at the sudden relief.

"I have never seen anyone in more need of a hug than you, big guy." His hand paused at her words but then continued to work the sore muscles again. Audrey tried to tell herself that his hand on her thigh wasn't an intimidate touch, though it would have been if he wasn't an archangel. Perhaps angels didn't have sex drives, maybe he was just like a Ken doll down there. "Luckily for you, you're in charge of protecting a hugger." Audrey grinned at him and the corner of his mouth twitched.

"You do not fear being rejected?" Gabriel asked and Audrey looked off into the distance.

"I'm use to it," Audrey tried to smile but it fell just short. Gabriel stared down at his hand, and considered her words for a moment.

"You may hug me whenever you wish and never fear rejection." Green eyes snapped to the angels face, widening in surprise before a look of genuine happiness crossed her features. "Here, Michael wanted you to have this." Audrey looked at him in surprise as he handed her the enveloped.

Audrey wanted to ask if Michael was the one who brought on Gabriel's breakdown but decided better of it. She opened the envelope, wondering if she could sell a letter written by an archangel on E-Bay but she was slightly disappointed when she glanced the name at the end of the letter. That disappointment soon disappeared and was replaced by happiness.

"It's a letter from Jeep," Audrey said excitedly, tilting the letter more so she could read it by moonlight. Gabriel placed his elbows on his knees, curling his wing around the small girl to protect her from the wind, and stared out into the open expanse around the tiny house while Audrey read over the letter, than read it again just to make sure it was right.

"You are upset," Gabriel looked at the girl on the step above him.

"No, not really, just confused." Audrey leaned back against the wing, finding it a nice and soft backrest. "Jeep said he can read some of the prophecy written on him, and I'm apart of it. He wrote other things, he's glad I'm alive, the baby and Charlie are doing well, Michael said that it's safer for me if I stay away blah blah blah but I'm apart of the prophecy? Is that why you're protecting me?"

"No," Gabriel showed the girl his arm, and the ancient writing sprawled on his forearm. "I'm protecting you because it is written here."

"Isn't that a prophecy?" Audrey asked as she reached out and turned the large am of the angel around so she could get a better look at the writing. "It looks like what appeared on Jeep."

"On angels they are simply orders we must obey, on humans they are prophecies that you may choose to ignore or follow." Gabriel stated simply and Audrey raised an eye brow. The angel didn't sound bitter about it, but if it were Audrey she would be rather angry if she were in his place and was forced to follow orders while humankind could ignore them if they wanted to.

"So what does it say exactly?" Audrey asked, looking closer at the writing. Something seemed oddly familiar with it. Like how she had taken two years of Spanish and then a year later heard some people speaking it. Part of her knew what they were saying, but her own mind seemed to be hindering her.

"English is a rather crude language, I cannot put this into the correct form but basically I am to protect Audrey Winifred Anderson."

"Well aren't I just so fucking special." Audrey muttered as she stifled a yawn and rubbed her eyes, trying to make her brain work properly.

"Yes, and now special girl, you need to sleep." Audrey's yawn was interrupted but laughter.

"Did the archangel Gabriel just make a joke?" Audrey asked in shock as she pushed herself up, using Gabriel's arm to steady herself. He walked her back into the house, knowing it'd be easier and quicker if he picked her up and took her to the bedroom but also knowing Audrey would fight him on it.

"No, you must be dreaming." Audrey laughed again, elbowing his side lightly.

"Two jokes and centuries haven't passed between them," Audrey grinned up at the angel. "Watch yourself big guy or you might develop a sense of humor." She collapsed on her bed and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Gabriel waited several minutes then decided that Audrey was completely out before he kneeled down beside the mattress. He carefully removed her boots before pulling the cotton blanket over her small form. While kneeling next to the mattress he looked at the girls dark soul, his brothers words coming back to him and looked harder at it.

Gabriel swallowed down a gasp and stood up quickly before leaving the small room. Gabriel did not know that a human could cover up their soul, most humans did not even believe in souls anymore. He should have known better though. A girl who would willingly give up her life to save strangers and who would comfort someone she was afraid of, who she hated could not have a dark soul. Audrey's soul, removed of the shadows she had created over it, had been like looking at the sun it was so pure and bright. Undoubtedly it had looked a little beaten, a bit torn and hastily repaired in some places but it didn't change the fact that it was pure.

The archangel walked around the house, checking the protective seals he had carved above the front and back doors. They weren't very powerful, and would be gone within a couple days but as long as they were there no Fallen could come in. If something stronger than the Fallen came, well then that's what Gabriel was for.

If it was up to Gabriel they would have moved on already but Audrey needed a couple hours of uninterrupted sleep. Gabriel also needed sleep but he had a bad feeling and he wouldn't allow himself to rest.

Gabriel walked out of the house and spread out his wings before pushing off the ground and landing lightly on the roof. He kneeled down and scanned the area, looking for any sudden movements among the shadows.

The archangel did not know when exactly it happened but somewhere between the human girl comforting him and now he had fully accepted his role as her guardian. It wasn't a role he was at all accustomed to but he had lived a long time, and he was a quick learner. She was hurt and there was nothing he could do about that, but he would not allow any further harm to come to her while under his watch.

As soon as he thought that he felt a familiar feather light touch on his arm and his hair was slightly ruffled. Gabriel closed his eyes and savored the moment.

* * *

><p>Sorry that this chapter is considerably shorter than the other two but that's just how it turned out!<p>

Special thanks to **Lexicon, IloveSam, Mikitsu Silverquick, Pessimistic Owl, Wolf Huntress**, and **seababe77 ** for reviewing Chapter 2!


	4. Chapter 4

At dawn Gabriel walked into the small room that Audrey was using to wake her only to stop when he noticed her curled up in the corner opposite of where the mattress was resting. She instantly averted her face and tried to scrub away any evidence of tears but even without the wet trails down her cheeks her eyes were still bloodshot and puffy.

With the girls kind actions the night before still fresh in his mind Gabriel kneeled gracefully in front of the brunette girl but he was at lost for words. Luckily for him, Audrey had enough for the both of them.

"I hurt everywhere, I can hardly sleep because of it and even when I do manage to nod off I have…" Audrey stopped and glanced at the archangel before looking away. She didn't want to hurt his feelings by telling him he starred in her nightmares, and that those nightmares made her afraid of closing her eyes.

"Tell me how I can help you," The fragile state of humans had always been a nuance to Gabriel, who healed quickly and nothing short of a celestial blade through his heart or a be-heading could kill him. He had suffered countless wounds and had worked through the pain, but it was different for Audrey. His worst wound had healed within a couple hours, he did not know how he'd react if he had to wait days, let alone months, for the pain to ease. Gabriel even considered attempting to heal her but knew it was too big of a risk. He wasn't practiced or skilled enough to do it, and a mistake like the last one could put them both in danger.

"You can't," Audrey rubbed at her eyes in irritation, not at Gabriel but at herself. She could bitch and complain with the best of them but she wasn't weak, and she definitely did not want to appear that way in front of the archangel. "Only pain pills will help and you're a bit conspicuous to go into a store." Audrey eyed the large angels wings with a bit of contempt.

Gabriel was disappointed in himself for not thinking of it earlier.

"There is an abandoned store where I got the food and clothes that we can stop at, can you wait until then?" Gabriel asked, not unkindly. Audrey's chin raised a notch.

"Of course I can." Audrey stood up to prove that she wasn't weak. Her leg was sore and stiff, and her whole body seemed to throb in pain but she had pitied herself all night and that had to stop.

"You should eat first, and then we will be on our way." Gabriel had stood up too and he pulled out a backpack from amongst the pile of clothes. "Take what you deem necessary, I will make you some food." Audrey's stomach twisted at the thought of Gabriel's cooking but once again she was hesitant to hurt the archangels feelings so she held her tongue and set off to find some acceptable clothes to take with her as she thought over her situation.

How quickly things had changed. When Audrey first saw Gabriel she had wanted nothing to do but hurt him, physically or verbally. Audrey knew that there was no way she could hurt Gabriel physically. He had, after all, survived going through a windshield of a car going over 90 and an explosion. She had also believed that besides his bursts of anger, the giant had no feelings, that God had wanted an emotionless zombie who just did His bidding. Last night had shattered the idea of him having no emotions though.

On some level it seemed like Gabriel was just as lost and confused as Audrey was. She didn't understand why he had been crying and she had the feeling that if she asked, he would answer her because he had been nothing if honest with her this whole time. But Audrey knew she wouldn't dredge up whatever had made him so sad last night, at least not now after only a day of knowing him.

Audrey stood up and limped to the kitchen, carrying the backpack. She dropped it by the door and sat down at the table. She almost sighed in relief when she saw the bottled water and a sandwich. No one could mess up a sandwich.

"Thanks Gabriel," The archangel nodded before picking up the backpack and putting the first aid kit, some canned food, and a couple water bottles in it. Audrey took a big bite of the sandwich and immediately regretted it.

It felt like the one time she had been dared to eat a huge spoonful of peanut butter. All the moisture in her mouth disappeared and she found it extremely difficult to chew, let alone swallow the big glob of peanut butter.

"Gabe, we have to talk." Audrey managed to mumble out as she forced herself to swallow. Gabriel turned around from packing the backpack when he heard the nickname. No one had called him that before, not even his brothers. Then again Audrey called him a lot of things that no one else called him, like jackass or bastard. He decided he preferred Gabe to the others.

"What about?" Gabriel asked hesitantly as he watched Audrey peel apart the sandwich and use napkin it had been resting on to wipe away the peanut butter inside.

"Your cooking skills, or lack thereof." Audrey, satisfied that there was now a pound less of peanut butter between the bread, squished the two pieces back together before taking a big gulp of her water. "And I thought I couldn't cook, but it's like you're purposely trying to kill me, and I've lived through too damn much to be offed by choking on peanut butter." Audrey could have hit herself for her run away tongue, so much for not hurting his feelings. "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate this but- wait, do angels even eat? I've never seen you eat before."

"We're made up of light and energy, there's no need for food." Gabriel answered, leaning his hip against the counter as he watched Audrey take a bit of the sandwich and look him up and down.

"Besides you being freakishly large, you look human." Audrey tried not to let her gaze linger, but she was still in pain and a bit sleep deprived so she couldn't help how her eyes snagged on his wide shoulders, large arms that were crossed over a very nice chest and long, lean legs. Michael was exceptionally good looking also, she wondered if all angels were like that.

"You look angel, we came first." Gabriel corrected, sounded a bit insulted which made Audrey laugh.

"Don't like being compared to us lowly beings, huh?" Audrey asked as she finished off her sandwich and took another sip of her water.

"Not when they talk with their mouths full, that was perhaps the most disgusting thing I've witness." Gabriel muttered in disdain.

"Oh my god Gabriel, are all angels such drama queens or is it just you?" Audrey tried to hide her grin by taking another sip of her water but Gabriel could see the amusement in her emerald eyes. He found that he much preferred them glistening with mirth instead of tears and pain.

"Perhaps, what is a drama queen?" Gabriel decided to not scold her on using the Lords name in vain, though he would talk to her about that later. She was in a good mood and he wished for her to stay that way.

"Someone who overreacts at every little thing," Gabriel pointedly quirked an eye brow at Audrey. She would have been insulted if he wasn't right in his look, she was known to overreact at most things but since Paradise Falls she thought she had that right. Audrey, however, was distracted at how the little movement of his eye brow had broken that outward façade that kept her frightened of him even when he was protecting her. He didn't look apathetic and stony, his whole face had come alive and there was a light in his eyes that made her understand why people wrote stories and filled churches with his face.

"Is something wrong?" Gabriel asked worriedly, noticing her sudden shift in emotions.

"When are we leaving?" Audrey looked away from him because, _damnit_, she did not want to feel anything more than content with Gabriel. She could comfort him, even be civil towards him and joke around but she was not going to like the archangel because sooner or later he would leave and then where would she be? Completely alone again, trying to pick up the pieces from being abandoned again. She wouldn't, couldn't, do that.

"Now if you are ready." Gabriel was confused at Audrey's stiffness as she nodded and stood up, limping to the door. He ran through the conversation in his mind but he didn't think he did anything wrong. The archangel followed the small girl out, withholding a sigh. "You'll have to hold the pack." He handed Audrey the backpack before carefully picking her up.

Audrey remained stiff in his arms, which was uncomfortable since she seemed to be leaning away from him, for 20 or so minutes until finally her body, too exhausted to hold that position, gave up on her. She rested her forehead against the metal collar around his neck and tried not to think of how disturbing she found that collar.

"Why don't you wear your armor? And where's that big ass hammer?" Audrey couldn't help the smirk as Gabriel's chest expanded with a sigh at her language.

"I did not think it appropriate for me to wear, and my weapon only seemed to frighten you." Gabriel answered, unconsciously tucking her in closer when she shivered due to the cold wind.

"What do you mean it's not appropriate? And what if there's a big battle or something?" Audrey asked, unable to stop her curiosity. She barely managed to hold her tongue as the silence stretched on between them. Just when she had given up on him answering he spoke.

"The armor represents that of a warrior for God, but I have disappointed Him." Audrey frowned in confusion, Gabriel had done what He asked. Could God be so cruel as to discipline the archangel just because he failed to kill Charlie's baby? The answer came instantly to Audrey, yes He could be. He had started the apocalypse and sent Gabriel to destroy humanities last hope. "I have my two daggers in my boots if there is a battle. If my mace is needed, it will come to me."

"Your weapon can move on it's own?" Audrey asked incredulously.

"It is very old and very powerful, and very old and very powerful things sometimes develop a life of their own." Gabriel answered, barely managing to contain his amusement at the disbelieving look on the small girls face.

"That is really disturbing." Audrey commented after a moment of thinking it over. "Will your armor appear if you need it?" She couldn't help the cartoonish image in her mind of the mace and his armor clanking over the land to come to Gabriel.

"No, I tossed it into a volcano." Audrey's sputtered laughter at his deadpanned voice made him look down at her. Her emerald eyes still held a slightly defeated look in them, there was still too much pain and sorrow swirling around in them for Gabriel to look at her too long but there was also a toughness to her. No one could tell how truly strong she was, not by just looking at her. She was far too pretty to be thought of as tough.

"Why would you do that?" Audrey asked, still laughing at the mental image of Gabriel tossing his armor into a volcano.

"Because I had no need of it, and Michael had ruined it." Audrey's laughter was renewed and Gabriel frowned in confusion, not knowing that Gabriel sounded like a pouting child to Audrey. "I could not leave it around for someone else to find, it is not made of earthly materials."

"You threw it in a volcano because Michael ruined it?" Audrey asked, half mocking him. She had once babysat her neighbors two sons. One time one of the boys had refused to touch his action figure because his brother had played with it. That's how Gabriel sounded to Audrey.

"Yes, he struck me across the chest with his sword." That stopped Audrey's amusement and she frowned. "What good is armor if there is a large gash in it? Also, my blood had stained it." The color drained from Audrey's face and she tightened her hold on the backpack, squeezing it to her chest.

"Do angels often fight like that?" Gabriel looked down at the girl again, noticing how pale she had gotten, all the humor now gone.

"No, of course not, angels hardly ever fight." Gabriel was at a loss, he had no idea how to make Audrey happy again. The last time Gabriel had fought another angel was a very long time ago, when Lucifer and his army had risen up against the Heavens.

"Is that why you were so upset last night, after Michael had visited?" Audrey asked softly, and it suddenly clicked for Gabriel. Someone so young, who had seen so much violence in such a short period of time would not understand the relationship between Gabriel and Michael. Audrey was still hurting over wounds she had gotten nearly a year ago, from the car crash but Gabriel had healed from the sword wound Michael had given him within a couple hours. She had only seen them fighting, she had no idea the love between them.

"No Audrey, that is not why I was upset." Gabriel brushed a kiss across the top of her head, praying that she would know peace. Her body relaxed even more against him as he searched for the words to make her understand what had happened. "Michael and I have been brothers for a very long time, since the earth came into creation. There is nothing he could do to me that would make me stop loving him, it is the same with my other brothers."

"Cutting each other up doesn't sound like a very healthy relationship," With the closeness they were sharing, Gabriel could easily pick up on her thoughts. She was thinking about the boyfriend who hit her, and the occasions where her mother would slap her. Gabriel took a deep breath to let out his anger at those thoughts and vowed he would never touch her. Audrey had a foul temper, and a fouler mouth but she did not deserve to be physically beaten because of it.

"That is why I was so upset," Gabriel hadn't told anyone this, he never shared his thoughts or feelings because he was constantly pushing those aside to do God's work. "I was willing to kill my own brother, had actually thought I had killed Michael, because I believed that's what God wanted. Michael had been willing to give up his own life to protect the human race, and I was willing to slay my own brother to destroy it. God brought back Michael, and he protected your two friends and the baby from me but even to save the human race, the same race he was willing to give up his life for, he would not kill me."

Audrey took several minutes to work through all this information, and was thankful that Gabriel remained quiet. Audrey had been called stupid by many people, but she was a lot more intelligent than people gave her credit for. Maybe she couldn't do long division or write a Research paper to save her life, but she did notice things people thought they were hiding. She could hear the self loathing in Gabriel's voice, and she now knew why he had gotten so angry at her in the kitchen when she had called him a would-be baby killer. Gabriel hated himself for his actions, but he had been ordered by God to do these things and the archangel followed through with them no matter his own personal feelings.

Gabriel was also glad for the silence, so he could wonder why exactly he had told all that to Audrey when he couldn't even tell his own brothers that. He came to the simple conclusion that Audrey, with all that she had done and been through, did not judge him or his actions. Yes, she cursed at him, called him names but that was done out of anger and fear. He knew that now, and he also knew that no matter what she said she still didn't think any less, or more, of him. The knowledge that she would not judge him put him at ease the way nothing had in a very long time.

Gabriel flew around the store he had gotten supplies at a couple days ago, making sure there were no Fallen before dropping down to the ground. He set Audrey down gently and she put the backpack on while glancing from the brooding archangel to the store.

"Now what's the problem?" Audrey asked, wondering how Gabriel's brain didn't turn to mush from over thinking everything.

"I do not want to take you inside, incase there are Fallen waiting but I cannot leave you out here either." He glanced around at the wide, open and empty parking lot. Audrey looked around also and felt dread slowly consume her. There were buildings surrounding the store but they all looked as abandoned as the store. A trashcan across the street had been knocked over, the contents spilling across the ground and blowing in the wind. There were no noises except the occasional ruffling of Gabriel's wings as he thought over their situation.

"This town isn't that big but is it all- is everyone gone?" Audrey asked, taking another look around. The store looked moderately modern, like it had only been abandoned in the past month or so. "At the orphanage we weren't allowed to go outside, the building we were in use to be an old church. Did the town look like this?"

"Similar, this one is completely abandoned, your town had a few survivors left." Gabriel's wings fluttered again in irritation, not at anything in particular but just this situation. "Please Audrey, save your questions for later, we cannot stay for long." Gabriel did not want to tell her that the people in this town had been overtaken by rogue angels and demons alike, he was not ready to explain that just now.

"Alright," Audrey sucked in a breath full of air and expelled it slowly before standing up straight. "What do you need me to do?" Audrey was staring at the store like she was about to enter a battle, if she had glanced at the archangel she would have seen the ghost of a smile at her bravery and courage.

"Take this," Gabriel pulled out one of his daggers, which seemed to fit the large angel but it was as long as Audrey's forearm.

"Holy shit, you carry around small swords in your boots?" Audrey wielded the dagger carefully, since it looked wickedly sharp. "If I lose it will it return to me like your hammer does?" Audrey asked with a grin.

"Mace," Gabriel corrected automatically, knowing that the girl would continue to call it a hammer no matter what he said. He bent down and pulled the sheath for the dagger out of his boot before fitting it in Audrey's right boot. "Now it will."

"Awesome!" Audrey twisted her leg and ankle around, but the sheath was comfortable and she barely felt it.

"This is serious Audrey," Gabriel scanned the area again, knowing they had already been there too long, and he had a very bad feeling.

"Serious Audrey." Audrey furrowed her brow and frowned deeply at Gabriel, mimicking the archangels face. Gabriel stared down at the girl and sighed loudly, while closing his eyes and looking heavenward. "Hey! Are you praying because of me?" Gabriel hid his amusement as he continued look upwards.

"Yes," Audrey hit his arm with her empty hand before striding off towards the store. Gabriel pulled out his other dagger before catching up easily with her and walking cautiously into the store first. Despite her mock anger and joking attitude, Audrey followed closely behind the archangel, wary of his wings and making sure she didn't accidently stab him. "What is that smell?"

"Some of the food has gone bad," Gabriel said, choosing not to mention the two dead bodies behind the deli counter. Audrey did not need to know about that.

"The pharmacy is over there," Audrey pointed unnecessarily to the corner of the store, where there was a big sign hanging from the ceiling with Pharmacy on it. "They should have some kind of pain killers." She explained for no other reason than to break the eerie silence. Gabriel noticed her unease and decided to get the pills quickly and leave, they could pick up other supplies at a later date when he was less exhausted and she was not so hurt.

Audrey concentrated on Gabriel because it was better than thinking about the dead silence or the fact that monsters could be hiding in the dark aisles. He moved stealthily, the curved dagger looking even more lethal in his hand. His large wings appeared nearly black in the dim lighting, and they were tucked tightly to his back but Audrey knew they could act as a shield and a weapon when needed. He was big, thickly muscled, and should have moved like the big men she had seen but his booted feet barely made a noise and there was something utterly graceful about his movements.

Gabriel leaned over the counter at the pharmacy, glancing around at the small aisles behind it but there was nothing there. He lifted Audrey over it carefully and set her on the other side before turning around and facing the dark store.

Audrey's hands were shaking slightly from anxiety and fear, that plus her bandaged hand made it difficult to handle the bottles so she put the dagger in her boot before using her good hand to look through the bottles. Seeing the names on them made her stomach twist painfully so she had to force herself to look only at what pills were in them.

"Gabriel?" Audrey found some antibiotics, they weren't what she had been looking for but she had been bitten by a possessed human so they might be useful. She shoved them in the backpack before resuming her looking as Gabriel made a grunt in acknowledgement. "There are some heating pads on the side of that wall there, can you grab a couple?" Gabriel snatched a few before handing them over for Audrey to put in her backpack.

Audrey finally found some pain medication and shoved them in the pack before pulling herself over the counter. Gabriel walked quickly through the store, making sure Audrey was right behind him.

"Oh my god," Audrey gasped out, barely managing to hold down her breakfast as she stared at the bodies piled outside in the previously empty parking lot. They were piled against the door, one body propped up against the door, his face pressed against the glass like he was peering inside. Audrey nearly screamed when it's head snapped to the side and stared right at her, grinning while black liquid oozed out of it's mouth.

"Shh, it's okay, it will not fight us." Gabriel pushed Audrey to his back anyways.

"Why does it look like that?" Audrey whispered in horror. The body could be either male or female, it was far too decayed to be recognizable. It had only tufts of hair on it's otherwise bald head, and it was a sickly yellow and gray color.

"That is what happens when demons possess humans," Gabriel growled out, wanting to storm over and end it's miserable life and send it back to hell but Gabriel knew that's what the demon wanted. The black liquid oozing from it's mouth, and now it's eyes and ears, was poisonous. Deadly to humans and very harmful against angels.

"Demons?" Audrey's voice rose an octave as she stared in growing horror at the demon possessed human. It banged a bloody stump of an arm against the glass, leaving behind chunks of decayed and peeling flesh. Audrey pressed her hand against her mouth, to keep from throwing up or from screaming she wasn't quite sure.

"Angels, when they possess a human can leave it behind without injury, but demons eat the soul. The body still rejects demons, even without the soul, and it rots and decays at a rapid pace. This one will not last much longer." Gabriel was use to death and what came after it, but it had been a long time since demons had been allowed to possess humans. Demon possession was a rarity, despite what humans thought, and it hadn't happened for centuries. "Look away Audrey, you do not need to see this." Audrey, for once, did what she was told and buried her face in the space between Gabriel's wings.

"What is it doing?" Audrey could hear it pounding against the door with the bloody stump and she wanted to scream just to cover up that sound.

"Baiting me, teasing you." Gabriel answered, his hand tightening around the hilt of his mace. It had appeared, just as Gabriel had said, when he had spotted the bodies but he would not move from this spot.

"Oh god, what was that?" Audrey wheezed out after there was another thud and then a sickening ripping sound.

"Nothing, cover your ears." Audrey once again did what she was told and buried her face even more into the archangels back. Gabriel did not want Audrey to know that the body was literally falling apart, and that the rest of the arm had fallen off. He watched as the jaw of the grinning demon possessed body disconnected then slowly started to droop down, the skin cracking and breaking until it fell to the ground.

Not even the fingers in her ears could stop Audrey from hearing the loud screech from the demon before it began to beat the body against the door. Gabriel pulled Audrey out from behind him, pulling her to his chest before shooting off the ground and hitting the sky light with full force. It shattered and Gabriel nearly tumbled from the pain but regained his balance and flew away as quickly as he could, only slowing down when the town was a spec on the horizon.

There was a sharp pain in his shoulder from a large piece of glass, and another in his neck but nothing could distract him from the deep, gasping sobbing coming from his arms. She still had her hands over her ears and her eyes tightly closed, but the image and the sound were permanently burned into her brain.

Gabriel shifted Audrey in his arms, until he was carrying her bridal style, and letting her sob into his chest. Her small body was shaking from the sobs and he had never remembered a time where he felt so useless because nothing he could do would make what she saw any better. So he just continued to fly towards their next safe house.

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><p>Special thanks to<strong> savyleec, Mikitsu Silverquick, RR, Lexicon, seababe77, winwithwords<strong>, and **Yes-Man** for reviewing Chapter 3!

Hope you enjoyed Chapter 4.


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